How to burp your baby

Why should I burp my baby?

It is common for newborns to throw out small amounts of milk during or after their feeds. The ‘culprit’ behind this is the excessive air inside his stomach. Air in the stomach sometimes causes colic and makes baby cry uncontrollably.

All babies swallow some air in every feeding session. These bubbles of air collected in the stomach can make the child feel uncomfortable. Excessive air in the stomach can also make your baby feel full although he should drink more milk.

In the following situations, your baby may also swallow in some air which can make him uneasy:

(a) Crying excessively.

(b) Sucking too rapidly during bottle-feeding, especially when the holes in the bottle teat are too small.

(c) Sucking in the air when the bottle is empty.

(d) Sucking air when milk does not fill the teat entirely during feeding.

Burping helps to expel air from your baby’s stomach which can help to make him comfortable. He can also take in more milk for that feeding session.

Typically,  a breastfed baby swallows less air than a bottle-fed baby. This is because a proper breastfeeding position will need baby's mouth to latch onto the mother's nipple fully. This reduces the chance for the baby to swallow in the air.

When should I burp my baby?

In most situations, you can burp your baby after each feeding session. However, if your baby squirms or seems to be uncomfortable, you should stop feeding, burp your baby and then begin feeding again.

If you breastfeed your baby, you can burp your baby each time you need to switch breasts. If you bottle-feed your baby, you can burp your baby every time your baby finishes 60 to 90 milliliters of milk.

You may need to burp your baby more often in the following situations:

1.Your baby tends to be gassy and spits a lot.

2.Your baby suffers from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

How to burp my baby?

You can try any of the two methods below to burp your baby.

(A)On your chest

1.Hold your baby upright and against your chest, so his chin is resting on your shoulder.

2.Support his head and shoulders with your hand.

3.Gently pat his back with your other hand.

(B) On your lap

1.Sit your baby on your lap facing away from you.

2.Use one arm to support your baby with your palm support his chest and your fingers support his chin and jaw.

3.Lean your baby slightly forward

4.Pat his back for a while with your free hand.

How to prevent baby from swallowing excessive air?

1.Make sure the hole in the teat is the right size for her. Your baby will take in a lot of air if the holes are too small for her to swallow.

2.You can try an anti-colic bottle. These bottles are designed specifically to prevent your baby from taking in as much air.

3. You could also try sitting your baby upright in feeds. This may help to prevent him from swallowing as much air in the first place.